Buffy Episode #100: "The Gift" Transcript

I do not own the characters or situations of BTVS, and I claim no credit for the content of this episode. I have merely transcribed what appeared on my screen, with help from the closed captions.

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I apologize in advance for my lame transcription of the fight scenes. I don't know the names of different punches and kicks. Use your imagination.

Teaser

GILES VOICEOVER: Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer...
Giles in the Sunnydale High library in "Welcome to the Hellmouth."
GILES: You are the Slayer. Into each generation a Slayer is born.
A series of scenes from "Welcome to the Hellmouth"...
BUFFY: Why don't we start with 'Hi, I'm Buffy.'
XANDER: Xander.
CORDELIA: Cordelia.
Shot of Willow at the water fountain.
BUFFY VOICEOVER: Willow, right?
GILES: Mister Giles.
ANGEL: Angel.
Giles thumping the book "VAMPYR" onto the library counter.
A quick series of scenes from the first season: the Master with the Anointed One; Buffy and Angel kissing; Angel vamping out, Buffy screaming; the possessed ventriloquist dummy; Buffy punching someone; Buffy dying; Buffy killing the Master, etc...
Moves into a series of scenes from the second season. They go by faster and faster. I can't possibly detail every one, but they include all the major demons and recurring characters: Spike, Ethan, Drusilla, Kendra, Ted, etc. We see Xander kissing Cordelia, Willow kissing Oz, Angel killing Jenny Calendar, Willow in the hospital doing the spell to restore Angel's soul, Buffy killing Angel.
Continues to a series of scenes from third season. Includes Mr. Trick, Xander and Willow kissing, Giles and Joyce kissing, Spike, Gwendolyn Post, Amy turning into a rat, Faith and the Mayor, Wesley, Vampire Willow, Angel feeding on Buffy, the climactic battle with the Mayor, the high school blowing up, Angel walking away.
Moving even faster, a series of scenes from fourth season. Buffy going to college. The Initiative. Kathy, Vamp Harmony, Oz, the Gentlemen, Anya dressed as a bunny, Giles in Mexican costume, Spike getting zapped, Willow and Tara doing a spell in "Hush," Giles as a demon, Adam, the Initiative, Faith waking up, Faith in Buffy's body, the destruction of the Initiative, Buffy/Xander/Willow/Giles doing their unification spell, the First Slayer, etc.
And finally a series of scenes from fifth season that go by very fast. Buffy and Dawn, Joyce, Spike, Glory, Riley, the helicopter taking Riley away, Ben morphing into Glory, the April-Bot, Joyce dying, Willow and Tara kissing, Glory taking Tara's brain, the return of the First Slayer, the Buffy-Bot, Willow zapping Glory, Glory tearing down the dorm wall, the fight between the Winnebago and the knights on horseback.
You should realize that all of the above flashes by much too fast to really see. The scenes from first season probably last for about ten frames each and by the time it gets to fifth season, they flash by two frames at a time.

So the sense of increasing speed and urgency carries us into an alleyway as the "previously" scenes meld into the episode. The camera moves down the alley as from the POV of someone running. Fast, urgent music.

We go around a corner and see the person who's running. It's a teenage boy. He rounds the corner and stops, seeing that he's in a dead end. Slowly, fearfully, he turns.

Shot of the corner he just came around.

The kid moves very slowly back toward the corner, very scared.

Suddenly someone steps around the corner. It's a large male vampire. The kid starts, takes a step back.

Suddenly one of the doors along the alley opens and Buffy's head pops out.

BUFFY: (innocently) Hey, what's going on?

The vamp turns his head to glare at her.

KID: Help me! Call the police!
VAMP: Get outta here, girl. (turns back to the kid)
BUFFY: (emerging from the doorway) You guys havin' a fight? 'Cause, you know, fighting's not cool.

The vampire turns to glare at her again.
KID: Get out of here!
VAMP: No. (turns fully toward Buffy) No, she wants to stay. I don't mind a little appetizer.
BUFFY: (small frown, walks forward) Have you ever heard the expression, 'biting off more than you can chew'?

The vampire growls and lunges at her. She ducks his grab, punches him in the face and kicks his leg. His knee buckles and he falls to the ground.

VAMP: Oh god! My leg! Uhh...
BUFFY: See? Now we're communicating.

The vamp surges up, grabs Buffy and throws her against the wall. He grabs her again but she pushes his arms away, punches him in the face, knees him, then goes around behind him and kicks him into the wall. He lands against a dumpster, turns and backhands Buffy, who stumbles forward toward the boy. The boy leaps out of the way. The vamp punches Buffy again, picks her up and slams her down on top of another dumpster.

Shot of the kid cowering in the corner.

Buffy kicks the vamp, cartwheels off the dumpster and kicks him again, then again, and then yet again. On the final kick he lands on his back among a pile of wooden boxes. They all shatter.

One of the shards of wood flies toward Buffy and she catches it. As the vampire lunges up out of the boxes, she stakes him with the piece of wood. The boy watches in shock.

The vamp turns to dust. Buffy drops the makeshift stake and stares at the pile of dust as the boy continues to cower in the background.

BUFFY: Wow. Been a long while since I met one who didn't know me.

She turns to go, pauses and looks at the kid.

BUFFY: You should get home.

She begins walking back toward the door she came out of.

KID: H-how'd you do that?

Angle on Buffy's back as she walks toward the door. She doesn't turn or stop as she replies.
BUFFY: It's what I do.
KID: But you're ... you're just a girl.

Buffy pauses in the doorway.
BUFFY: That's what *I* keep saying.
She walks through the door.

Open on Buffy coming in the back door of the magic shop, walking down the hall and into the main room. We see Xander sitting at the round table with Giles beside him looking at books, and Spike sitting behind them on the ladder leading up to the loft, smoking a cigarette.

Everyone looks nervously at Buffy. We see Willow sitting at the table on Xander's other side. Giles slowly removes his glasses.

Shot of Anya standing to the side.

GILES: The key was ... living energy. It needed to be channeled, poured into a specific place at a specific time. The energy ... would flow into that spot, the walls between the dimensions break down. It stops, the energy's used up, the walls come back up. Glory uses that time to get back into her own dimension, not caring that all manner of hell will be unleashed on earth in the meantime.

Buffy looks grim.

ANYA: Um, but only for a little while, right? The walls come back up, uh, n-no more hell?
WILLOW: That's only if the energy is stopped. And now the key is human ... (looks over her shoulder at Buffy) ...is Dawn.
GILES: (reads from book) "The blood flows, the gates will open. The gates will close when it flows no more." (removes his glasses) When Dawn is dead.

Pause.

TARA: I have places to be!

Everyone looks over at Tara, who is curled up in a chair to the side. She falls silent again and they return to their conversation.

XANDER: Why blood? Why Dawn's blood? I mean, why couldn't it be like a, a lymph ritual?
SPIKE: 'Cause it's always got to be blood.
XANDER: We're not actually discussing dinner right now.
SPIKE: Blood is life, lackbrain. Why do you think we eat it? It's what keeps you going. Makes you warm. Makes you hard. Makes you other than dead. (quietly) Course it's her blood.
BUFFY: Pretty simple math here. We stop Glory before she can start the ritual. We still have a couple of hours, right?
GILES: If my calculations are right. But Buffy-
BUFFY: I don't wanna hear it. (turns away)
GILES: I understand that-
BUFFY: (whirls back) No! No, you don't understand. We are not talking about this.
GILES: (jumps up from the table, yells) Yes, we bloody well are!

Beat. Everyone looks shocked by Giles' outburst.

GILES: (quieter) If Glory begins the ritual ... if we can't stop her...
BUFFY: Come on. Say it. We're bloody well talking about this. Tell me to kill my sister.
GILES: (whispers) She's not your sister.
BUFFY: (pause) No. She's not. She's more than that. She's me. The monks made her out of me. I hold her ... and I feel closer to her than ... (looks down, sighs) It's not just the memories they built. It's physical. Dawn ... is a part of me. The only part that I- (stops)
WILLOW: We'll solve this. We will. Don't have another coma, okay?

Buffy gives a small smile.

GILES: (quietly) If the ritual starts, then every living creature in this and every other dimension imaginable will suffer unbearable torment and death ... (looks up at Buffy) including Dawn.
BUFFY: Then the last thing she'll see is me protecting her.
GILES: (quietly) You'll fail. You'll die. We all will. (turns away from the table)
BUFFY: I'm sorry.

Shot of the others looking at her as Giles walks slowly away.

BUFFY: I love you all ... but I'm sorry.

She turns away too. Giles turns back to look at her. Beat.

ANYA: (loudly) Okay. (raises her hand) All in favor of stopping Glory *before* the ritual. Suggestions, ideas? (snapping her fingers) Time's a-wastin'.
SPIKE: Uh ... when you say you love us all...
XANDER/GILES: (unison) Shut up.
ANYA: Willow. I bet you've got some dark spell a-brewin'. Uh, make her a, a, a toad? Little hoppy toad, we can hit her with a hammer?
TARA: (giggling) Hoppy toad.
XANDER: What about Ben? He can be killed, right? I mean, I know he's an innocent, but, you know, not like Dawn innocent. We could kill a ... regular guy.

Pause while everyone considers this and Xander realizes what he's said.

XANDER: (softly, in self-disgust) God.
GILES: It's doubtful he'll surface again this close to the ritual. We can expect it's Glory we're dealing with.
WILLOW: We don't have to kill her. Uh, we just have to stop her from doing the ritual. I mean, there's only the one time that she can do it, right?
SPIKE: Yeah. We get her on the ropes, we just gotta keep her occupied till it's too late.
ANYA: Okay. But I'm still not hearing enough ideas. She's a god. Let's think outside the box.
SPIKE: Why don't *you* go think outside the bleeding box.
GILES: Yes, Anya, apart from your incredibly uninfectious enthusiasm, have you anything else to contribu-
ANYA: The Dagon sphere!
GILES: Sorry?
ANYA: When Buffy first met Glory, she found that magical ... (gestures) glowy sphere that was meant to repel Glory. We've got it in the basement. (everyone looks surprised) It might drive her away or hurt her. Ooh!

Anya hurries over to a display case, gestures like a game-show hostess.

GILES: Well, we have some ideas, if we could actually get Glory on the run, but, um...
BUFFY: But, we still have no idea how to find her.
TARA: Big day. Oh, it calls me! I have to be there!

Everyone looks at Tara, then at Buffy. Buffy looks thoughtful.

TARA: Big day!

Cut to: Ben entering the back room at the warehouse. He still wears the ceremonial robe and is holding a pile of clothing. A few minions are in the background.

Shot of Dawn sitting on the floor with her knees up to her chest, eyes closed. Ben walks over to her.

BEN: They, uh ... said you have to put this on ... for the ceremony.
DAWN: What if I don't?
BEN: Come on, just-
DAWN: What if I don't like the color?
BEN: Look, I ... I wish there was another way.
DAWN: And I wish you'd fall on your head and drown in your own barf, so ... (shrugs) I guess we're both disappointed.
BEN: I think ... it'll be quick.
MINION: Actually, sir, the bleeding is quite a slow process to give the portal time to-
BEN: (annoyed) Thank you ... for the information. (to Dawn) I'll do what I can to-
DAWN: Change.
BEN: What?
DAWN: Change. Be her. I don't wanna look at you.
BEN: (shakes head) Dawn, I don't think you wanna-
DAWN: Be Glory. Be Glory. (yelling) Glory! Glory! Glory!
BEN: Will you just stop- (morphs into Glory)
GLORY: -shouting already?

Dawn scowls.

GLORY: Huh.

Glory shakes out the garment she's holding. It's a medieval-style dress. She examines it, then turns to Dawn.

GLORY: So, what's the hubbub, bub? (sits in a chair) What do you got against old Benjy?
DAWN: He's a monster. At least you're up-front about it.
GLORY: (picking at the hem of the dress) Don't be so hard on the boy. He just wants to live. Most guys would do the same. Besides, he's probably the reason your sis and her little cartoon pals are still alive. That little nagging pinch of humanity that makes me go for the hurt instead of the kill. (looks at Dawn) Lowering myself to trade blows with the Slayer when I should have just put my fist through her heart.

Glory stands up and holds up the dress to look at it.

GLORY: It's gotta be Ben.
DAWN: Or maybe you just can't take her.

Glory tosses the dress to Dawn, who takes hold of one end. Glory is still holding the other end and she suddenly yanks on it, pulling Dawn to her feet. They face off.

GLORY: Hmm, funny thing. You've been here for a few hours now, and I haven't seen big sis galloping in to save you. She probably knows what a terrible mistake that'd be.
DAWN: She's not afraid of you.
GLORY: Oh no, sweetie baby. I'm talking about the ritual. 'Cause you know I bleed you, the portals open, but once you die they close. The faster you die, the better for your sorry species.

She resumes punching. Close shot on Buffy's face with Giles out of focus in the background.

GILES: We're ... still working on ideas. (Buffy stops punching) Time's short, but, uh, best leave it to the last moment. (Buffy stretching her arms) If we go in too early and she takes us out, no chance of getting her to miss her window.
BUFFY: Then we wait.

Buffy gives one last punch that breaks the punching bag off its chain. It falls to the floor. Buffy stares at it, gives her arm a shake.

GILES: I imagine you hate me right now.

Same angle on Buffy with Giles in the background, her back to him. She sighs but doesn't answer. Giles takes a few steps closer.

GILES: I love Dawn.
BUFFY: I know.
GILES: But I've sworn to protect this sorry world, and sometimes that means saying and doing ... what other people can't. What they shouldn't have to.

Buffy turns to face him.

BUFFY: You try and hurt her, and you know I'll stop you.
GILES: I know.

Overhead shot of the two of them. Buffy walks slowly over to the sofa in the corner and sits. Giles paces slowly over to the sofa as well.

BUFFY: This is how many apocalypses for us now?
GILES: Oh, uh, well... (sits, takes off his glasses) six, at least. (sits back slowly) Feels like a hundred.
BUFFY: I've always stopped them. Always won.
GILES: Yes.
BUFFY: I sacrificed Angel to save the world.

Cut to close angle on Buffy's face.

BUFFY: I loved him so much. But I knew ... what was right. I don't have that any more. I don't understand. I don't know how to live in this world if these are the choices. If everything just gets stripped away. I don't see the point. I just wish that... (tearfully) I just wish my mom was here.

She gets up, walks a few paces away, turns to face Giles.

BUFFY: The spirit guide told me ... that death is my gift. Guess that means a Slayer really is just a killer after all.
GILES: I think you're wrong about that.
BUFFY: It doesn't matter. If Dawn dies, I'm done with it. I'm quitting.

She walks out, leaving Giles sitting on the sofa alone.

Cut to the warehouse. Dawn is now wearing the ritual dress. She has her other clothing folded in a neat pile and carries it over to the chair, lays the clothing down on the chair, kneels beside the chair.

Shot of Glory off to the side, writing something. A minion goes to her and whispers.

Dawn kneels by the chair and arranges her sneakers neatly in front of the chair. She looks up when Glory begins to speak.

She continues to scream as the minions grab her arms and drag her away. Glory watches them go with a smile.

GLORY: See you in a few.

Cut to outside. The minions drag Dawn into the courtyard area where the crazy people are still working. Sparks fly from someone's welding. Dawn looks up apprehensively.

Shot of a huge metal tower, basically build out of scaffolding. It stretches into the air above the warehouse. At the top, a narrow walkway protrudes out into the air. We see the tower first from Dawn's perspective, on the ground looking up; and then a longer shot from the side.

Dawn continues to stare up at the tower as the minions lead her to some stairs at the base of the tower and they begin to climb.
Blackout.

Act II

Open on Giles in the magic shop, walking over to a door and opening it. It leads down some stairs into the basement, which is cluttered as any basement tends to be.

GILES: (calling) Any luck? Have you found the Dagon sphere?

Pan down to the basement. Anya emerges from behind the stairs, wearing a bra, quickly putting on her blouse.

Xander and Anya continue fastening their clothing. The angle is such that Giles can't see them.
GILES: (OS) Time is a factor.
ANYA: Yes. Yes. Not to worry.

Sound of the door closing. Anya picks up a clipboard and examines it.

XANDER: So, are you more, uh ... relaxed?
ANYA: (looking through boxes) No.
XANDER: No? I mean, it sounded like you, uh ... (paces past her) arrived.
ANYA: (distracted) No. (tunes back in to the conversation) Yes. Um, I had the pleasure moment, and the blissful calm that comes right after it. But that only lasted a couple of seconds, and now I'm terrified again.
XANDER: Well, you don't have to be.

Anya moves toward another pile of stuff. Xander turns and pulls down a drop-cloth, revealing the Buffy Bot.

XANDER: Gah!

He leaps back, making Anya jump as well.

ANYA: What?

They both stare at the bot. It sits there with eyes open, unmoving.

XANDER: Spike's sex-bot. Why didn't they just melt it down into scrap?

Anya puts the bunny back in the box as Xander puts his arms around her waist from behind.

XANDER: It's okay.
ANYA: No, you see, usually when there's an apocalypse, I skedaddle. But now I love you so much that instead I have inappropriately timed sex and try to think of ways to fight a god ... and worry terribly that something might happen to you. And also worry that something'll happen to me. And then I have guilt that I'm not more worried about everyone else, but I just don't have enough! I'm just on total overload, and I honestly don't think that I could be more nervous than I am right now.
XANDER: Care to wager on that?

Xander lifts his hand into the shot. He holds a small box, open to reveal the ring inside.

Anya stares at it. Xander lets her go and she turns to face him, still looking at the ring.

XANDER: Anya ... you wanna marry me?

Anya stares at him a moment, then slaps him across the face.

XANDER: Can I take that as a "maybe"?
ANYA: You're proposing to me!
XANDER: Yes...
ANYA: You're proposing to me 'cause we're gonna die! And you think it's romantic and sexy and, and you know you're not gonna have to go through with it 'cause the world's gonna end!
XANDER: I'm proposing to you, Anya, because it's not.
ANYA: You can't know that.
XANDER: I believe it. I think we're gonna get through this. I think I'm gonna live a long ... and silly life, and I'm not interested in doing that without you around.
ANYA: (softly) Oh. Okay.
XANDER: (wide-eyed) Okay?
ANYA: Yes. (small smile) I mean, yes.

They both smile happily and look down at the ring. Xander begins removing the ring from the box as Anya holds up her hands. Then she stops him.

ANYA: No.
XANDER: No?
ANYA: After. Give it to me when the world doesn't end.

Xander smiles slightly. Anya puts her arms around his neck and they kiss.

Cut to the main magic shop room. Willow sits at the table reading books while Tara naps behind her. Buffy walks up.
BUFFY: Will, what do you got for me?
WILLOW: Some ideas. (Buffy goes to sit on the stairs leading up to the loft) Well, notions. Or, theories based on wild speculation. Did I mention I'm not good under pressure?
BUFFY: I need you, Will. You're my big gun.
WILLOW: (alarmed) I'm your - no, I-I was never a gun. Someone else should be the gun. I, I could be a, a cudgel. Or, or a pointy stick.
BUFFY: You're the strongest person here. You know that, right?
WILLOW: (frowns) Well ... no.
BUFFY: Will, you're the only person that's ever hurt Glory. At all. You're my best shot at getting her on the ropes, so don't get a jelly belly on me now.
WILLOW: Well ... I, I ... do sort of have this one idea. But, last few days, I've mostly been looking into ways to help Tara. I-I know that shouldn't be my priority....

Buffy leans over and puts her hand on Willow's knee.

BUFFY: Of course it should.

Willow smiles gratefully. Buffy leans back.

WILLOW: Well, I've been charting their essences. Mapping out. I think ... if I can get close enough, I may be able to reverse what Glory did. Like, take back what she took from Tara. It might weaken Glory, or ... make her less coherent. Or it might make all our heads explode.
GILES: (OS) Buffy.

Buffy looks up. Across the room we see Giles, Xander, and Anya gathered around something.

WILLOW: I'll try to work it.

Buffy gets up and walks away, putting her hand briefly on Willow's shoulder as she passes.

Willow gets up and goes to crouch beside Tara's chair.

WILLOW: Don't worry, love. It won't be long.

Tara slaps her hard across the face.

TARA: (angrily) Bitch! I'm supposed to work on the factors!

Willow just looks at her sadly. The anger passes and Tara becomes anxious.

TARA: I'm, I'm not ... I'm not....

Tara puts her hand gently on Willow's cheek and begins to cry. Willow looks at her with tears in her eyes as well.

WILLOW: I'm gonna bring you back.

Cut over to the others gathered together. Giles is holding the Dagon sphere.
BUFFY: No. No, no, that's good. That could be pivotal. (to Anya and Xander) Thank you guys.
GILES: Well, um, you're gonna need some-
BUFFY: Way ahead of you. We have time?
GILES: Yes, if you hurry.
BUFFY: Okay. I'll grab some weapons too. (we see Spike appearing behind Giles)
XANDER: I'm looking for something in a broadsword.
SPIKE: Don't be swingin' that thing near me. (Buffy takes the sphere from Giles, examines it)
XANDER: Hey, I happen to be-
SPIKE: A glorified bricklayer?
XANDER: (looks around at the others) I'm also a swell bowler.
ANYA: Has his own shoes.
SPIKE: The gods themselves do tremble.
BUFFY: Spike, shut your mouth, come with me.

Cut to Buffy entering the Summers house with Spike behind her. It's dark outside.
BUFFY: The weapons are in the chest by the TV, I'll grab the stuff upstairs.

She moves toward the stairs, not realizing that Spike has stopped at the door.

SPIKE: Uh, Buffy...

She turns back to him. Spike lifts his hand in a little wave. Buffy frowns, still not getting it.

SPIKE: If you wanna just hand them over the threshold, I'll...
BUFFY: Come in, Spike.

Spike looks surprised and pleased. He takes a slow step over the threshold, smiles.

SPIKE: Hmm. Presto. No barrier.

They look at each other for a moment, then Spike breaks away, walks into the living room.

SPIKE: Um, won't bother with the small stuff. Couple of good axes should hold off Glory's mates while you take on the lady herself. (opens the chest, begins taking stuff out)
BUFFY: We're not all gonna make it. You know that.
SPIKE: Yeah.

He takes a few weapons from the chest and walks back toward Buffy.

SPIKE: Hey. Always knew I'd go down fightin'.
BUFFY: I'm counting on you ... to protect her.
SPIKE: Till the end of the world. Even if that happens to be tonight.
BUFFY: I'll be a minute.
SPIKE: Yeah.

Buffy turns to go up the stairs. Spike watches her go.

SPIKE: I know you'll never love me.

Buffy pauses halfway up the stairs, turns back to look at Spike.

SPIKE: I know that I'm a monster. But you treat me like a man. And that's...

Buffy gazes silently at him.

SPIKE: Get your stuff, I'll be here.

She turns and continues up the stairs.

Cut to the top of the tower. The minions are tying Dawn to the tower with rope. She stands there looking scared. The wind blows her hair around.

Angle downward from Dawn's POV. We see her bare feet on the edge of the platform, and far below we can see the crazy people moving around.

The minions finish tying Dawn up and turn to leave. One of them looks back.

MINION: She will come to you soon.

The camera pulls slowly back on Dawn standing at the end of the platform with the city lights behind and below her.

Cut to the magic shop. Pan quickly across Xander and Anya looking at each other, Tara looking at stuff in a display case. Willow appears from the back as Buffy and Spike enter, carrying weapons. They walk over to the office area.

BUFFY: We on schedule?

Spike goes to put the weapons down on the desk beside Giles, who is also holding an axe.

GILES: Yes, it's time.

Pan back over to Buffy.

BUFFY: Will?

Willow nods, goes over to Tara who is still staring at the merchandise.

Tara looks anxiously from Buffy to Willow and back again. She turns and begins to walk toward Buffy and the door. She passes Spike and Giles in the background, Spike packing up weapons as Giles unsheathes a sword.

TARA: (points to Giles) You're a killer. (Giles and Spike look at her in surprise) This is all set down.

Tara continues walking out. Giles puts his axe in Spike's bag.

Willow, following Tara, draws alongside Buffy as Tara heads for the door.

BUFFY: (quietly) Stay close but don't crowd her. We'll follow in a minute.

Willow starts out again, stops when Buffy begins to address the others.

BUFFY: Everybody knows their jobs. Remember, the ritual starts, we all die. And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn.

Buffy turns and walks off. Willow turns to the open door and leaves.

Angle on Giles and Spike. Giles is clutching his side where he was speared in "Spiral." Spike glances at Giles, then back in the direction Buffy went.

SPIKE: Well, not exactly the St. Crispin's Day speech, was it?
GILES: We few...

Giles goes past Spike as Spike gathers up the bag of weapons.

GILES: ...we happy few.
SPIKE: We band of buggered.

They exit.

Cut to: exterior city street, night. Tara walks along the sidewalk, picking at the cast on her hand. The camera pulls out to reveal Willow walking a few paces behind, with the others following farther behind that.

Tara comes around a corner, pauses to gaze upward for a moment, then continues. The others follow, now all in a group. Spike carries a crossbow, Anya a baseball bat. Spike also has the bag of weapons on her back. They all stop walking and look up.

Shot from below of the tower rising up into the air above them.

They all stare at it.

XANDER: Shpadoinkle.
ANYA: What is that?
GILES: The portal must open up there.
BUFFY: Will, you're up.

Close angle on Willow's face.
GILES: Need anything?
WILLOW: Could use a little courage.

Spike's hand comes into the shot, holding a small flask in front of Willow's face.

WILLOW: The real kind.

Spike looks over at her. She looks at him.

WILLOW: But thanks.

Spike nods, puts the flask away.

Shot of the tower. People are walking toward it as sparks (from welding) come from the yard below.

Cut to the warehouse. The crazy people are still doing various things with machinery and metal. Pan over to the entrance as Tara enters, finally pulling the cast off her hand and tossing it aside. She walks in muttering to herself, goes over to a pile of bricks and picks one up.

A hand grabs Tara's shoulder from behind and spins her around.

GLORY: You. What are you doing here?

Willow appears beside Glory.

WILLOW: She's with me.

Willow grabs both Glory's and Tara's heads. They all scream as blue lightning begins to flicker around them. Bright blue light appears to stream from Glory's head to Tara's.

Suddenly a blast of power separates them. All three go flying in different directions. Willow crashes into a pile of wood.

Glory lands on her back on the concrete, sits up as several minions run over.

GLORY: What the frickin' hell did that bitch do to me?

The minions look at each other, then at Glory.

MINION: (anxiously) You look fine. Truly.
GLORY: (clutching her head) She made a little ... she made a hole. Uh, I need a brain to eat.
MINION: Oh, take mine, oh groove-tastic one! (bows)
GLORY: I said a brain, you worthless dirt!

She puts a hand to her forehead and begins to walk, distractedly, as the minions follow her with concern.

GLORY: Big day. I got places to be, big day. Need a brain.

She looks at something directly in front of her, scoffs.

GLORY: Suppose I could always use yours.
BUFFY: (OS) Okay then.

Buffy stands there with her hands clasped behind her back. The camera zooms in on her.

BUFFY: Come and get it.
Blackout.

Act III

Open on Glory still staring at Buffy. Glory starts to smile, then looks away and moves her arms as if in pain.

BUFFY: (innocently) You don't seem very well.
GLORY: Your little witch bitch ... gave me kind of a headache there. (removes her ceremonial robe, revealing the simple black dress underneath) But if you think this is gonna last more than eight seconds-
BUFFY: I noticed you're talking, whereas in your position, I would attack me.

The minions have taken Glory's robe as she continues to stand there looking weakened.

MINION: Oh, most sweaty-naughty-feelings-causing one, should we...
GLORY: Go guard the girl. This is a ... this is a, a...
MINION: Diversionary tactic?
GLORY: Go guard!

The minions scurry away. They pull a bunch of crazies away from their work and gather them around the base of the stairs leading up to the tower.

Cut back to Glory still standing there unsteadily.

BUFFY: It's strange, you're not as blurry with speed as usual either.
GLORY: The witch...
BUFFY: It's not her.

Buffy tosses the sphere at Glory, who catches it instinctively. The sphere lights up and seems to warp the air around it when it touches Glory's hand. She makes a pained face, drops her hand to her side.

Close shot on Glory's hand holding the sphere. She slowly crushes the sphere and the light goes out as it crumbles.

GLORY: You're gonna wish you-

Buffy punches her in the face. Glory stumbles back and Buffy kicks her, then punches her again, and again, and again.

The minions and crazies gathered around the stairs mutter and look around nervously as the fight continues.

MINION 1: Stand fast! Kill anyone who dares approach! This will be our day of glory!
MINION 2: Well punned.
MINION 1: Well, it just called out to me.

Suddenly an arrow appears in his chest and he falls back.

We see Spike holding his crossbow, having just shot the minion. Anya and Giles are beside him. They rush forward and begin fighting the minions, while Spike stays behind.

Giles blocks a minion's staff while Anya beats on another one with her bat.

Spike gives a loud battle cry and jumps on two minions at once, bearing them to the ground.

Giles slices at a minion with his sword.

A minion has Spike around the waist as another one approaches. Spike fights them both.

Cut to a wide overhead shot of the fighting. Off to the side we see Buffy hitting and kicking Glory.

Cut to above. Dawn looks down and her eyes widen as she spots Buffy.

Cut to below. Buffy flips Glory over and slams her down on a pile of bricks, tries to punch her but Glory rolls aside and Buffy ends up punching the bricks. Buffy tries to punch again and Glory grabs her arms, throws her across the room.

Willow sits up among broken pieces of wood, looks at Buffy fighting Glory, looks over to her left.

WILLOW: Tara!

Willow half-walks, half-crawls over to where Tara lies unconscious in a pile of debris.

Glory kicks her in the face. "Buffy"'s head goes flying off, leaving her body standing. We can see the wires exposed in the neck.

The body falls over as Glory stares in bewilderment. When it hits the floor, sparks fly out of the neck.

GLORY: (staring) Hey, wow, the Slayer's a robot. (looks around) Did everybody else know the Slayer was a robot?

Glory smiles in triumph as the real Buffy appears behind her.

BUFFY: Glory?

Glory stops smiling, turns. Buffy hits her with Olaf's hammer. Glory flies across the room, crashes into a wall.

BUFFY: You're not the brightest god in the heavens, are you?
DAWN: Buffy! I'm up here!

Buffy looks up as Dawn screams at the top of her lungs. Shot of the tower from Buffy's POV. We can't really make out Dawn at the end of the platform.

DAWN: Buffy!

Buffy runs toward the tower, leaps over a pile of bricks and onto the stairs. A minion confronts her but she punches him and throws him over the side.

Glory picks herself up, looks over and sees Buffy running up the stairs.

GLORY: Oh no you don't!
DAWN: (screams) Buffy! I'm up here!

Cut to midway up the stairs. There's one last level after which the stairs end and the only way up is via ladders. Buffy is ascending onto this level as Glory appears in front of her and hits her. Buffy hits Glory with the hammer, then Glory kicks her into the scaffolding. They exchange a few more blows and Buffy loses her grip on the hammer, which goes flying. It gets caught in some chain that's hanging off the tower. Glory grabs another piece of chain and uses it to swing around the side, knocking Buffy aside as Buffy tries to reach the hammer. Buffy falls aside, gets up, takes another kick from Glory and swings around the scaffolding, kicks Glory, ducks a punch and goes around Glory, kicks her from behind.

DAWN: (looking down) Buffy!

Buffy tries to continue climbing but Glory hits her in the leg, making Buffy gasp in pain. They exchange some more blows, then Buffy resumes climbing up the outer scaffolding. Glory goes around beside her and climbs up as well, kicks Buffy as she's scaling up a pipe. Buffy slides back down to the previous level.

Buffy runs up a ramp, kicks Glory in the face, runs down the ramp again and manages to free the hammer. She swings it at Glory and hits her a couple of times, also hits a ladder which falls aside.

Glory hits Buffy in the face and she loses her balance. As she falls backward, she grabs Glory and they both fall off the tower.

They both hit the concrete below, a few feet away from each other. The hammer lands nearby.

Shot of Spike still fighting two minions at once.

Buffy gets to her feet. Glory does too. Buffy grabs Glory by the shoulders and pushes her away. Glory winds up a few dozen feet away, beside a wall.

GLORY: You lost your hammer, sweet cheeks. What are you gonna hit me with now?

Buffy looks at the wall.

Glory turns to the wall also, just as a huge wrecking-ball crashes through the wall and into Glory. It crashes through a second wall, deposits Glory on the other side, and swings back.

BUFFY: Whatever's handy.

Buffy turns and runs off.

Cut to Xander driving the machine that controls the wrecking ball. He shuts down the engine and sits back looking satisfied.

XANDER: The glorified bricklayer picks up a spare.

Cut to the hammer lying on the ground. Buffy grabs it as she runs past.

Spike straightens up to peek over the top of the machine. A brick hits him in the forehead. He ducks down again, looking annoyed.

SPIKE: It's crossed my mind.

Shot of the group of crazies standing between them and the stairs, glaring at them. There are also a few minions.

GILES: (panting) As long as ... Buffy can keep Glory down ... long enough, it doesn't matter. (looking up at the tower) There's only a few minutes left to start the ritual.

Cut to Buffy hitting Glory with the hammer. Glory doesn't seem able to fight back, just stands there reeling each time Buffy hits her.

Cut to Dawn looking down at the fight. Suddenly she looks up and gasps.

We see Doc standing at the other end of the platform, inside the tower.

DAWN: You. You can help me. Untie me. Please. Help me, she's coming.
DOC: (walks forward) Well, it seems she's running a bit late, is the thing. And, uh, if her Splendidness (Dawn looks upset) can't be here in time to bleed you...

Dawn looks scared and anxious as she realizes he's not on her side.

DOC: (whispers) Hey! (winks) Kid. Wanna see a trick?

Dawn looks fearfully at him.

Suddenly he produces a large shiny knife, holds it up in front of his face. Dawn gasps and cringes. Lingering shot of Doc holding the knife up with a small smile.
Blackout.

Act IV

Open on a shot up at the top of the tower. Pan down to below.

Xander leaps over a fence and comes to join the others. Spike, Anya, and Giles are all still crouched behind their shelter, looking up at the tower.

XANDER: How we doing?
ANYA: So far it's a tie.
GILES: We haven't got up to Dawn, but then neither has anyone else.
SPIKE: (still gazing up) Someone's up there.

Shot of the underside of the platform from their POV. It's hard to tell how many people are there.

Cut to Willow at the other side of the warehouse, with Tara behind her. Her lips don't move as she communicates telepathically to Spike.

WILLOW VOICEOVER: Is there someone up there with Dawn?
SPIKE: Yeah, can't tell who.
XANDER: Are you talking to us?
WILLOW VOICEOVER: Get up there. Go now.

Spike peers out uncertainly. The crazies and minions are still in battle stance.

SPIKE: Yeah, but-
WILLOW VOICEOVER: Go!

Spike gets up and charges out as the others stare at him in surprise.

Willow puts her hand behind her without looking back. Tara puts her own hand in Willow's.

The entire crowd of minions and crazies suddenly parts into two halves like the Red Sea. They all yell in surprise -- an unseen force is shoving them aside as Spike runs through. He reaches the stairs and leaps up them without slowing.

Spike gets to the last level, runs up the ramp and begins climbing the ladder.

Cut to the top. Doc produces a pocket-watch and looks at it as Dawn watches him fearfully.

DOC: Well. What do you know? (Spike appears behind him) It's just about that time.
DAWN: Spike!

Doc whirls around as Spike strides slowly forward.

SPIKE: Doesn't a fella stay dead when you kill him?
DOC: Look who's talking.
SPIKE: Come on, Doc. Let's you and me have a go.
DOC: I ... (tapping his knife against his hand) do have a prior appointment.
SPIKE: This won't take long.
DOC: No, I-I don't imagine it will.

Cut to below. Buffy continues hitting Glory with the hammer. Glory has blood running out of her nose. She gives Buffy an anguished look.

GLORY: You're just a mortal. You couldn't understand my pain.
BUFFY: Then I'll just have to settle for causing it.

She hits Glory with the hammer again. Glory reels to the side, recovers and turns back.

GLORY: You can't kill me.
BUFFY: No ... (hefts the hammer) but my arm's not even tired yet.

She hits Glory again.

Cut to the bloody knife falling onto the floor of the platform. Pan up Spike's body as he is now standing between Dawn and Doc.

SPIKE: You don't come near the girl, Doc.
DOC: I don't smell a soul anywhere on you. Why do you even care?
SPIKE: I made a promise to a lady.
DOC: Oh?

Doc's long tongue appears from his mouth, shooting out at Spike, who ducks aside. Doc drops to his knees and pulls Spike's legs out from under him. Spike falls to the floor. Dawn watches anxiously as they grapple. They get to their feet, Doc holding on to Spike, pinning his arms behind him.

DOC: Then I'll send the lady your regrets.

Spike gives Dawn an agonized look.
SPIKE: (whispers) No.

Doc pushes Spike over the edge.

DAWN: (screams) Aah! No!

Spike falls to the ground below, lands amid a pile of bricks and makes a pained face.

Cut to Glory falling to her knees. She looks up at Buffy, gasping, on the verge of tears.

GLORY: Stop it.
BUFFY: You're a god.

Buffy hits Glory again. She falls on her back on the floor.

BUFFY: Make it stop.

Buffy goes over to Glory, kneels beside her and hits her several more times. We don't see Glory during this, just Buffy as she slams the hammer down over and over.

Now we see Glory, lying there with blood covering half her face. She morphs into Ben. Buffy stops hitting.

BEN: I'm sorry.
BUFFY: Tell her it's over. She missed her shot. (Ben watches her, not moving) She goes. She ever, *ever* comes near me and mine again...
BEN: We won't. I swear.

GILES: Can you move?
BEN: Need a ... a minute. She could've killed me.
GILES: No she couldn't. Never. And sooner or later Glory will re-emerge, and ... make Buffy pay for that mercy. And the world with her. Buffy even knows that... (reaches into his pocket, takes out his glasses) and still she couldn't take a human life.

A few drops of Dawn's blood drip over the edge. In midair they meet something, and a small circle of light appears, quickly growing.

Buffy leads Dawn limping across the platform to the tower entrance. Dawn stops, turns to Buffy.

BUFFY: Go!
DAWN: Buffy, it's started.

Buffy turns. They can both see the light of the portal.

Shot of the portal growing ever larger.

Shot of Sunnydale's main street as a huge bolt of lightning opens an enormous hole in the middle of the street. People scream and run away.

Shot of the portal crackling and sending out lightning.

Shot of a large building being hit by lightning and burning to a shell in instants.

Shot of weird demon creatures in the walls of the building, screaming in pain.

Long shot of the tower with the portal hovering beside it. Lightning continues to crackle out of it.

Cut to below. Giles stares upward. The ground shakes. The crazies and minions fall to the ground. Shot of Xander and Anya holding each other and staring up. Shot of Willow and Tara holding each other and staring up, turning to look in each other's eyes.

Shot of Spike still recovering from his fall. He rolls aside as a crack appears in the ground he's lying on.

Cut to Anya and Xander looking up.
ANYA: Xander!

Anya pushes Xander aside as a bolt of lightning goes by and a pile of bricks falls on Anya's head.

XANDER: Anya!

Shot of Anya lying unmoving among the bricks.

Shot of the portal continuing to do its destruction.

Cut to above. Buffy turns back to Dawn as Dawn continues staring at the portal.
DAWN: (tearful) I'm sorry.
BUFFY: It doesn't matter.

Dawn tries to run past Buffy but Buffy grabs her.

BUFFY: What are you doing?
DAWN: I have to jump. The energy.
BUFFY: It'll kill you.
DAWN: (softly) I know. (Buffy staring at her) Buffy, I know about the ritual. I have to stop it.
BUFFY: No.

The tower shakes underneath them, making them both stumble.

DAWN: I have to. Look at what's happening.

More lightning crackles, even larger than before. Buffy looks up. A huge dragon flies out of the portal and buzzes the tower, flying away as they watch.

DAWN: Buffy, you have to let me go. Blood starts it, and until the blood stops flowing, it'll never stop.

Buffy stares at Dawn in anguish.

DAWN: (tearfully) You know you have to let me. It has to have the blood.

Buffy gets a realization look on her face.

Flash to Spike earlier in the episode.
SPIKE: Cause it's always got to be blood.

Flash to Buffy and Dawn in the hospital at the end of "Blood Ties." Buffy putting her hand to her wound, then pressing it against Dawn's bloody hand.
BUFFY VOICEOVER: It's Summers blood. It's just like mine.

Flash to Buffy earlier in this episode.
BUFFY: She's me. The monks made her out of me.

Flash to Buffy beside the fire in "Intervention."
FIRST SLAYER: Death is your gift.
BUFFY: Death...

Flash back to the present. Close shot on Buffy's face.
FIRST SLAYER VOICEOVER: ...is your gift.

Buffy frowns. Turns around slowly.

Shot of the platform extending into the air. In the distance, holes seem to be opening in the sky. The sky is growing lighter as the sun tries to rise.

Buffy looks peaceful. She turns back to Dawn, who stares wide-eyed.

DAWN: Buffy ... no!
BUFFY: Dawnie, I have to.
DAWN: No!
BUFFY: Listen to me. Please, there's not a lot of time, listen.

The camera pulls out on the two of them. Buffy holds Dawn by the upper arms and continues talking to her, although we don't hear the words. Dawn begins to cry. Lightning continues to crackle behind them.

Cut back to close shot of Buffy. She strokes the side of Dawn's face, then kisses her on the cheek. Dawn continues to cry.

Buffy turns. In slow-motion, she runs down the platform as Dawn stays there crying.

Buffy swan-dives off the end of the platform and into the portal.

Dawn watches, sobbing.

Buffy falls into the portal and hangs there motionless, making expressions of pain.

Long shot from below of the portal writhing and spitting.

Shot of Buffy's face inside the portal.

Begin a lengthy voiceover of Buffy's final words to Dawn.

BUFFY VOICEOVER: Dawn, listen to me. Listen.

Shot of Dawn still crying on the platform.
BUFFY VOICEOVER: I love you. I will *always* love you.

Shot of Buffy in the portal.
BUFFY VOICEOVER: But this is the work that I have to do.

Long shot of the portal as it shrinks to nothingness and disappears. The sun begins to rise.

Cut to below. Willow and Tara, holding each other up, walk forward. Behind them we can see Giles coming forward too, and Xander holding Anya in his arms. They all walk forward, staring at something we can't see.

The camera pulls back and we see they're all looking at Buffy's lifeless body lying amid the debris. In the background we see Spike trying to come forward, falling to the ground as the sunlight hits him.

Cut to closer shot of Spike, his face bloodied.

Cut to closer shot of Willow and Tara as Willow begins to cry.

BUFFY VOICEOVER: And give my love to my friends.

Shot of Xander and Anya looking sadly at Buffy. Anya lowers her head to Xander's shoulder.
BUFFY VOICEOVER: You have to take care of them now.

Shot of Giles looking sad.
BUFFY VOICEOVER: You have to take care of each other.

Giles begins to cry. Cut to Spike with his hands over his face, sobbing.
BUFFY VOICEOVER: You have to be strong.

Cut to Dawn coming slowly down the stairs, holding her sides, spotting the others.
BUFFY VOICEOVER: Dawn, the hardest thing in this world ... is to live in it.

Dawn begins to cry again.

Cut to Buffy giving her speech to Dawn a few minutes ago.
BUFFY: Be brave. Live.

Cut back to Dawn on the stairs.
BUFFY VOICEOVER: For me.

Cut to: graveyard, day. It's sunny and pretty with lots of trees and grass. Zoom in slowly on a headstone. A small bunch of flowers lies on the grass in front of it.